Maricopa County recorder wants to take back election powers from Board of Supervisors

The Maricopa County recorder has offered a new proposal to the county’s Board of Supervisors detailing his duties as they relate to running elections. It’s the latest in a saga of disagreement over the recorder’s job.

When Republican Recorder Justin Heap took office this year, he unilaterally rejected the shared services agreement his predecessor Stephen Richer agreed to shortly before leaving office in 2024. It did move some of the recorder’s responsibilities to the Board of Supervisors, but the board argues they aren’t things statute dictates must go to the recorder.

The agreement is meant to outline Heap’s job duties relating to elections, but he and the board are not on the same page about what those duties are.

Heap has threatened to sue the board over it several times over the past few months.

Heap accused the board members of lying about him and trying to undermine his power as they’ve tried to negotiate a new plan.

The board in turn has accused Heap of misinforming voters and not knowing the guidelines of his job as prescribed by state law. They offered him a service agreement in April.

In his new proposed agreement, Heap wants to expand his power over various aspects of elections, for example managing ballot drop boxes.

The board did not respond to requests for comment about the new proposed agreement.

Heap’s attorney Andrew Gould requested a response from the board by May 23 in a letter to the board’s attorney Emily Craiger.

Craiger previously told the board that Heap is allowed to perform all the duties he’s required to by statute, and the debacle isn’t stopping him from following the law.